Expert guidance on navigating SEP strategies licensing, and disputes to safeguard your competitive edge
Marks & Clerk patent attorneys and lawyers have extensive experience in the area of SEPs, having been responsible for filing and prosecuting patent applications covering many different standardised technologies. We routinely perform claim mapping to determine the relevance of patents to standards, provide support for SEP litigation, and assist with aspects of SEP licensing.
What are SEPs?
A SEP is a patent right that encompasses one or more features defined within a standard. In other words, anyone implementing the standard in a way that uses the protected feature or features in a product or service will necessarily fall within the scope of the monopoly afforded by the patent. In some cases, the patented feature or features may be essential when implementing the standard. In other cases, the patented feature or features may be defined as optional within the standard, meaning an implementer may or may not decide to deploy them.
Industries where SEPs are important
SEPs significantly affect multiple industries that rely on standardised technologies, including:
- Telecommunications: Essential for 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies.
- Consumer Electronics: Smartphones and connected devices implement numerous standards.
- Automotive: Increasingly impacted by standards for connected and autonomous vehicles.
- Internet of Things (IoT): Affects applications across various sectors with connected devices.
- Audio and Video Technology: Standards for compression and transmission often involve SEPs.
- Computing and Networking: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and networking standards are covered by SEPs.
